With silly season fast approaching, the diary full of charismas boozy brunches, client dinners and weekend benders, the Christmas period can easily spiral out of control, turning into a calorific bonanza. At this point in time it may feel easier to hang up your gym shoes for your dancing shoes to then resume fitness training in the new year, but there is a solution or a few rather. Here at Square Mile Fitness our expert Personal Trainers have put together a few tips to help you have a happy health fit holidays.

Here are 5 tips to keep you in tiptop shape during silly season

Get Up And Go
Even though you may have time off or a few later starts than usual use this time productively. We all love the odd lie in from time to time but this time could be used for a trip to the gym to see your trainer, a buddy up workout or a nice early morning run. Planning ahead is the perfect way to shape up your day, make keeping healthy or just moving more a priority. Another benefit to training in the morning is that you can get a good workout done before all the invites for beers come swooping in. your training does not always need to last for an hour, making intensity a priority will net you a great session in 30-40 minutes like this fat loss program we have created.

Food Glorious Food
During the winter months when the weather begins to get much colder we all tend to lean towards comfort foods, some nice roast potatoes, pies, puddings, chips the lot! Now I am not here to say don’t ever eat these foods but the key is to know when to stop; you’re not 12 years old and it is ok to leave the table without cleaning the plate if you’re already full. Don’t be so hard on yourself; now this is something I come across everyday, you have one bad thing to eat then you right off the whole day, that isn’t how it should work. Here is a little tip, plan ahead, even if it is you planning to have something bad but you will also plan the other things you eat that will be healthier. Doing this will ensure that if you do have something a tad unhealthy you will also consume foods that are much better for you, don’t beat yourself up, life goes on!

Teamwork
If you are struggling for motivation why not get your partner, a work colleague, family member or friend involved in one of your workouts; you could even ask your personal trainer if you can bring a friend along to a session to give them some motivation. Surrounding yourself with like minded individuals or someone that’s has a similar goal to yourself will feel empowering, encouraging and you’ll be able to push each other though the more difficult workouts or exercises that you may not be too fond of. Whilst training with a partner you can put your heads together to create workouts that are challenging but fun, there will be exercises that one may prefer over the other but you can motivate each other to work hard and push through the pain

Goal Setting
Plan all of your workouts into your diary and set reminders if need be, make a few bouts of exercise per week a priority. Just as you would make plans to meet up with friends to go shopping or for coffee. A workout should also be slotted into the diary and given the same importance. Approaching the holiday period aimlessly with no actual plan to exercise is just asking for trouble. With no plan it is very likely that all forms of exercise will be missed, so plan ahead to stay in the game. Try to shake things up a little from the current workout schedule that you have. So if group fitness is what you usually do why not try a short dumbbell workout in the gym or a workout that requires no equipment at all.
An ideal week could look like this for you.
Monday – Personal training session
Tuesday – Interval run outside
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – Buddy up gym Session – or Group Fitness Class
Friday – PT session
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – – Rest

Have Fun
For many of us working out is not just for the physical aesthetic reasons but for the release of the feel good hormones or for the mental clearance of a tough day. Training should be challenging but above all you should try to enjoy it or at least feel good once its over. Get involved in friendly challenges, simple things like “ go to the gym three times per week “ if this is not achieved then a friendly forfeit are put in place, buying coffee for the team is one that I like. Enjoying what you do whether you workout in or outside the gym is important, as the more fun you have the more likely you will stick with it for an extended period of time. Find out what it is you enjoy then give it your all.

We hope a few of these tips can be put to use in order for you to have a happy fit festive session, remember Keep Hydrated, plan ahead and remember to have fun.

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